Knob having a removable cylinder lock assembly



KNOB HAVING A REMOVABLE CYLINDER LOCK ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 3, 1959 Feb. 6, 1962 F. J. RUSSELL ETAL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FRED J RUSSELL GEORGE E. SOLOV/EFF INVENTORS.

Zia/ &2j%mm m/ A TTORNEYS.

KNOB HAVING A REMOVABLE CYLINDER LOCK ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 3. 1959 Feb. 6, 1962 F. J. RUSSELL ETAL 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 M E M U R J w F GEORGE E. SOLOV/EFF INVENTORS.

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A TTORNEX Feb. 6, 1962 F. J. RUSSELL ETAL 3,019,633

KNOB HAVING A REMOVABLE CYLINDER LOCK ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 3, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FRED J RUSSELL 1 GEORGE B. 48 z a j 55 afiza 0020A H /E. /U

ATTORNEYS.

Unite States atent KNOB HAVING A REMOVABLE CYLINDER LOCK ASSEMBLY 1 Fred J. Russell, 3800 Don Felipe Drive, Los Angeles, Calif., and George B. 'Solovieif, South Gate, Calif;

'said-Solovieif assignor to said Russell Filed Aug. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 831,087 4 Claims. (Cl. 70-224) This invention relates to key operated door locks and particularly to such locks having the key operated mechanism carried in an outer operating assembly, such as a knob rotatably mounted on the outer side of a door, with the latch member located in a hole extending from the edge of the door, and an inner operating assembly, such as a knob, rotatably mounted on the inner side of the door. In a lock of the kind particularly described, the locking is accomplished by operating the mechanism in the inner knob and either is unlocked by operating the mechanism in the inner knob or by inserting and rotating a key in the outer door knob.

It is frequently necessary to change the combination of such key operated mechanisms, as for instance when a house is sold or rented to another person; and changing the combination hitherto required the lock to be removed from the door and disassembled, the key operated tumbler mechanism revised to accommodate a different key and the changed mechanism replaced in the door. The time necessary to change the combination of a key operated mechanism was therefore considerable and required the services of a skilled mechanic. 7

An object of the invention is to provide a lock mecha nism with a new and improved means for disengaging a lock cylinder by providing a passageway through the cylinder whereby to permit disengagement of internal parts by insertion of a special instrument through the passageway.

It is an object of this invention also to arrange the key operated mechanism parts in the outer door knob in such a manner that they may be withdrawn from the outer door knob without removing the lock from the door by the use of one simple tool, thus reducing the operation of changing the key combination and inserting the changed key combination into the outer door knob with very little time and expense.

Still further object and features of the invention will appear from the following specification and accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view looking from the side with the key operated mechanism mounted therein and with a shim inserted in the keyway.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the cylinder plug face shown in FIGURE 1 with the key and shim in cross section.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the end of a cylinder plug which has been key rotated approximately 60 degrees clockwise to a position necessary to unlock the door.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG- URE 3 but showing the end of a cylinder plug which has been key rotated approximately 60 degrees counteron the line 3-3 clockwise from the locked position, which is the motion necessary to prepare the cylinder plug and associated key- 1qperated mechanism for removal from the outer said nob.

FIGURE 6 is an exploded view in perspective showing the relation of the removable portion of the lock mecha nism, and a member secured to the outer door knob serving to normally retain the removable portion of the lock mechanism in position.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view on the line 7- 7 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View illustrating use of an extra long key to disengage the lock cylinder.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary longitudinal view taken on the line 1010 of FIGURE 1.

Although the invention concerns only the removable mounting of the key operated mechanism in the outer door knob, the conventional inner door knob, with its conventional locking means for locking the outer knob against rotation, is shown in order that all related parts are illustrated in their respectively related positions.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the numeral 19 indicates a rose adapted to be secured against the face of a door by hollow studs 11 and machine screws 11 clamping the rose 1% to a rose 10 mounted on the opposite side of the door.

The door knob 12 comprises an outer housing 13 to the inside of the vertical back of which an angle plate 14 is secured. Plate 14 has a forwardly projecting horizontal portion 15 slotted inwardly, as indicated at 16 (FIGURE 6) from its forward edge, and a vertical portion 17 secured to the back of housing 13 and furnished at .its center portion with an opening 18 which for simplicity is shown as of an elongated, generally rectangular shape.

A tubular knob shank 19 has projections 19' extending through holes 19" for securing the shank to the plate 14. The shank 19 extends into and is rotatably mounted in the rose 10.

A square tubular spindle 20 extends into the knob shank 19 and is held against withdrawal to the right by a cap 21 fastened to the end of spindle 20 and engaging the interior of shank 19. The shank is provided with a square opening for reception of the correspondingly square tubular spindle 2%. A rotation-limiting disc 22 is mounted on knob shank 19 retained by a suitable snap ring 22'. The disc is provided with diametrically spaced radial projections 22:: normally lying between the hollow studs 11 and limiting by engagement of the radial projections 22a with the hollow studs 11 the rotational movement of the knob 12. The spindle 20 may be given approximately one-quarter turn in clockwise or counterclockwise direction for withdrawing a conventional latch bolt (not shown).

A square shaft or tail piece 23 is nested in the square without being tipped. The washer is secured in position" on the shaft by upsets 25. A coil spring 26 is positioned under compression between the cap 21 on the square tubular spindle 20 and the washer 24 to urge the square shaft 23 toward the left.

The cap 21 is provided with an opening 41 (FIGURE 7) permitting limited rotational lost motion movement of shaft 23 in the tubular spindle 20 as is required to operate a suitable locking mechanism in the inner door knob.

The front of the door knob 12 is formed by a removable closure 27 on the inner side of which a pin tumbler case 28 integral with cylinder barrel 29 (FIGURE 6) is mounted. A cylinder plug 30 is rotatably mounted in the barrel in any suitable manner. The cylinder plug extends beyond the inner end of the cylinder barrel and an extension 31 of the cylinder plug is machined to match the contour of the opening 18 as indicated at 32 (FIG- URE and readily passes through the opening 18 sufficiently to enable a groove 33 (FIGURE 6) machined in the surface of the extension 31 to engage the edges of the opening 18 when the cylinder plug is rotated a limited distance. Cylinder barrel 29 is joined to an underplate 43 by some suitable means such as by staking. This sub-assembly in turn is crimped into the closure 27.

A squared hole or aperture 34 is formed in the end of the cylinder plug extension 31 into which the end of square shaft 23 is fitted for rotation with the plug 30.

The pin tumbler case 28 projecting from cylinder barrel 29 fits into the slot 16 in the forwardly projecting portion 15 of the plate 14.

1 A key of the pin tumbler type is shown at 35 by which the cylinder plug may be freed to rotate in the barrel 29 to align the machined extension 31 with hole 18, after which the closure 27 may be pushed inwardly and locked in position by giving the cylinder plug a part turn (approximately 60 degrees) to the right. The aligning position of the cylinder plug extension 31 and the opening 18 is shown in FIGURE 5 while the positions into which the extension 31 may be turned while retaining the closure 27' against withdrawal are shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

The rotational movement of the cylinder plug and its extension 31 by key 35 is controlled directly by the engagement of the square shaft 23 with the lost motion cut-out 41 in the end of cap 21 (FIGURE 7). The lost motion cut-out 41 permits rotation of the cylinder plug and the. shaft 23 to unlock the door when the tubular spindle is blocked from rotation by mechanism shown in FIGURES 1, 8 and 10, subsequently described. The de gree of rotation permitted the cylinder plug while shaft 23 is engaged in the cylinder plug extension 31 does not permit rotation of the cylinder plug to the position of FIGURE 5 which would permit same to be withdrawn from the opening 18. To release the cylinder barrel 29 it is necessary to push the end of shaft 23 out of the square hole 34 in the inner end of the cylinder plug extension 31 so that the cylinder plug can be rotated beyond the amount of rotation to which it is limited while engaged with the shaft 23.

A suitable means for pushing shaft 23 out of engagement with the cylinder plug is shown at 36 in FIGURE 1 in the form of a flat strip or shim of thin steel of a thickness of about 5 thousandths of an inch. The forward end portion 37 is made narrow and slides through the cylinder plug in a shallow groove 38 (FIGURE 2) along one side of the key 35 above shoulder 42 of the key slot which accommodates key 35 in cylinder plug 36. The shim portion 37 is therefore supported fully by the key and cylinder plug.

The end of the narrow portion 37 of shim 36 is projected through a cut 39 through the end portion 31 of the cylinder plug made by carrying groove 38 completely through the plug. The narrow portion 37 therefore engages against washer 24, as shown in FIGURE 1. By pushing shim 36 inwardly, the inner end 37 pushes the washer 24 away from the hole in the plug against the resistance of spring 26. Since the washer 24 is fixed on square shaft 23, the shaft is freed from the cylinder plug for rotation of the latter without restriction.

An alternative means of freeing the cylinder plug 30 from the constraint of shaft 23 would be to provide a key 35, longer than the key 35. As shown in FIGURE 9 a key 35', preferably having an extension 35" thereon long enough to press against the washer 24, is employed and disengages the shaft 23 from the hole in the cylinder plug instead of resorting to a shim 36 as heretofore described.

When the end 31 of the cylinder plug has been aligned with opening 18, an outward pull on the key 35, because of the resistance of the pins engaged in the serrations of the key edge, will enable cylinder plug 30, which is held against axial movement in the cylinder barrel 29 by C-shaped washer 40, to remove the whole assembly of closure 27 and the parts mounted thereon from the outer housing 13 for rekeying in the conventional manner or for replacement by a differently keyed closure assembly.

Inasmuch as the invention hereinabove described is directed to release of the whole assembly with the closure 27 under circumstances where removal is barred by restrictions to rotation of the shaft 23, one manner in which the shaft 23 may be restricted is herein disclosed.

On the side of the lock mechanism opposite the knob 12 is a second knob indicated by the reference character 12'. The knob 12 is provided with a shank 45 non-rotatably fixed thereon and the shank is mounted rotatably within the rose 10'. The shaft 23 is non-rotatably fixed within the shank 45 so that the shaft 23 and knob 12' rotate together. Consequently, the amount of rotation of the shaft 23 is limited by the amount of rotation permitted in the shank 45 and the knob 12'.

A spider 46 is provided with legs 47 and 48, the legs being anchored by appropriate fasteners 49 to the rose 10' so that the spider is fixed stationarily thereto. The spider is provided with a cup 50 receptive of a spring 51.

A disc 52 is non-rotatably fixed upon an extension 53 of the shank 45 and there retained by a snap ring 54.

A washer 55 is non-rotatably mounted upon the square tubular spindle -20 so that it rotates with the spindle. Hence, due to the fact that the spindle is non-rotatably mounted in the opposite shank 19 of the knob 12 and since rotation of the shank 19 is limited by engagement of the radial projections 22a with the studs 11, rotation of the washer 55 will be similarly limited.

It is also important to note that the shank 45 can be shifted a slight distance from right to left as viewed in FIGURE 1 against tension of the spring 51 and in FIGURE 1 the shift has already been made from right to left to the limit of this movement. When the shank is shifted, the disc 52 is also shifted and the washer 55 is moved a corresponding distance from right to left, as viewed in FIGURE 1. When this movement is made, legs 56 on the washer 55 protrude into holes 57 in the spider 46. When this occurs, the washer 55, spindle 20, opposite shank 19 and door knob 12 cannot rotate.

Still another disc 58 having a freely rotatable mounting with respect to the shank 45 is provided having long legs 59 and short legs 60. The long legs pass through notches 61 at the rim of the disc 52 and engage in the rim of the washer 55, as shown in FIGURE 10, so that when the washer 55 is blocked against rotation, the long legs 59 and hence the disc 58 is blocked against rotation. The notches 61 are, however, substantially longer than the breadth of the long legs and hence a limited amount of rotation is permitted of the disc 52 and consequently of the shank '45.

After the shank 45 has been pushed from right to left to the position of FIGURE '1 and then rotated a portion of a turn, the disc 52 is rotated to a position wherein depressions 62 fall beneath the short legs 60 thereby to hold washer 55 and its legs 56 in engagement with holes 57 of the spider 46.

When this relationship occurs, rotation of the square tubular spindle 20 is blocked and the latch cannot be operated except by means of the key 35. When it is desired to release the device from the blocked condition just described, the shank 45 and inside knob 12 are rotated in the opposite direction until the short legs 60 coincide with recesses 63. When this occurs, the disc 52 is released; and the disc 52, the shank 45, and washer 55 are moved from left to right by the pressure of spring 51 until the legs 56 are disengaged from the spider 46.

In either position, however, the shaft 23 and shank 45 are limited with respect to movement in a rotational direction. This is accomplished in the position of adjustment of FIGURES l and because of the fact that the disc 52 can only rotate a distance determined by the length of the notches 61, the ends of which enga'e against the long legs 59 at opposite limits of rotation.

In released position, engagement of the long legs 59 not only with the notches 61 in the disc 52 but also with the perimeter of the washer 55 limits rotation of the shank 45 to the same extent that the shank 1? is limited because the square tubular spindle interconnects the shank 19 with the washer 55.

Consequently, when the locking device is assembled as shown, rotation of the spindle 23 is limited and hence rotation of the cylinder plug is limited as has been previously described until the square shaft 23 has been disengaged by endwise movement either by use of the shim 37 or a long key The invention therefore provides a very simple and quickly executed way of changing the keying of a lock.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically described and shown by way of illustration but not as limitative of the invention, since various modifications may be made in the described embodiment by those skilled in the art Without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patents is:

l. A key operated mechanism comprising a housing, a wall at the inside end of the housing having a noncircular hole therethrough, said housing having an opening at the outside end, a cylinder barrel having an endwise removable and non-rotatable mounting in the housing, a key operated cylinder plug rotatably mounted in said barrel, said plug having an extension corresponding in cross-sectional shape substantially to the shape of said non-circular hole and a groove adjacent said extension receptive of edge portions of the hole when the extension is extended in to the hole and rotated whereby to secure the plug in engagement with the housing, a shaft having a non-circular cross-sectional shape, an aperture in said plug receptive of said shaft, said aperture having a shape complemental to the cross-sectional shape of the shaft to prevent relative rotation between the plug and the shaft, said shaft having a slidable position in the aperture, and means normally urging said shaft into the aperture, means limiting rotation of the shaft and the plug to position wherein the plug cannot be removed from the non-circular hole, said plug having a passage therethrough from the exterior providing access to said shaft, the shaft being subject to inward endwise movement by an instrument extended through said passage whereby to enable disengagement of said shaft from said plug and rotation of said plug to a position wherein the extension is in alignment with said noncircular hole.

2. A key operated mechanism comprising a housing, a wall at the inside end of the housing having a noncircular hole therethrough, said housing having an opening at the outside end, a cylinder barrel having an endwise removable and non-rotatable mounting in the housing, a key operated cylinder plug rotatably mounted in said barrel having an inner portion extending into said hole and having an initial position removable from said hole, means on said inner portion receptive of the edges of said hole whereby when said inner portion is rotated away from said initial position said inner portion is engaged by said edges and non-removably secured thereby, a shaft having a non-circular cross-sectional shape, an aperture in said inner portion receptive of said shaft, said aperture having a shape complemental to the cross-sectional shape of the shaft to prevent relative rotation between the plug and the shaft, said shaft having a slidable position in the aperture, and spring means acting between said shaft and said housing normally urging said shaft into the aperture, means limiting rotation of said shaft and said inner portion of the plug to positions other than said initial position, means forming a passage through said plug providing access to said shaft, the shaft being subject to inward endwise movement by an instrument extended through said passage whereby to enable disengagement of said shaft from said inner portion and rotation of said inner portion to said initial position for removal of said cylinder barrel from the housing.

3. A key operated mechanism comprising a housing, a shank on said housing, a wall at the inside end of the housing having a non-circular hole therethrough, said housing having an opening at the outside end, a cylinder barrel having an endwise removable and non-rotatable mounting in the housing, a key operated cylinder plug rotatably mounted in said barrel and an extension on said plug extending into said hole and having an initial position removable from said hole, means forming a groove in said extension receptive of the edges of said hole whereby when said extension is rotated away from said initial position, said extension is engaged by said edges and non-removably secured thereby, a shaft having a non-circular cross-sectional shape extending through said shank, an aperture in said extension receptive of said shaft, said aperture having a shape complemental to the cross-sectional shape of the shaft to prevent relative rotation between the plug and the shaft, said shaft having a slidable position in the aperture in said extension, and spring means acting between said shaft and said housing normally urging said shaft into the aperture in said extension, means limiting rotation of said shaft and said extension to positions other than said initial position of the extension in said wall, means forming a passage through said plug providing access to said shaft, the shaft being subject to inward endwise movement by an instrument extended through said pas sage whereby to enable disengagement of said shaft from said extension and rotation of said extension to said initial position for removal of said cylinder barrel from the housing.

4. A key operated mechanism comprising a housing, a wall at the inside end of the housing having a noncircular hole therethrough, said housing having an opening at the outside end, a cylinder barrel having an endwise removable and non-rotatable mounting in the housing, a key operated cylinder plug rotatably mounted in said barrel and an extension on said plug extending into said hole and removable therefrom in an initial position, means forming a groove in said extension receptive of the edges of said hole whereby when said extension is rotated away from said initial position said extension is engaged by said edges and non-removably secured thereby, a shaft having a non-circular cross sectional shape extending within said housing, an aperture in said extension receptive of said shaft, said aperture having a shape complemental to the cross-sectional shape of the shaft to prevent relative rotation between the plug and the shaft, said shaft having a slidable position in the aperture in said extension, a washer axially fixed on said shaft external relative to said extension and spring means acting between said washer and said housing nor- 7 8 mally urging said shaft into the aperture in said extenengagement of said shaft from said extension and rotasion, means limiting rotation of said shaft and said extion of said extension to said initial position for removai tension to positions other than said initial position of of said cylinder barrel from the housing. the extension in said wall, means forming a passage through said plug receptive of a key and providing 5 References cued m the l of thls Patent. access to said washer, said washer and the shaft being UNITED STATES PATENTS subject to inward endwise movement by an instrument 2,003,662 B h t J l 23 1935 extended through said passage whereby to enable dis- 2,008,668 Gold July 23, 1935 

